Drop wire guide



Dec. -19, 1967 H. J. BOGER ETAL DROP WIRE GUIDE Filed prl 6, 1966 INVENTOR. HQROLD J. BOGER.

LLOYD B DuNMoleE.

ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,358,718 DROP WIRE GUIDE Harold J. Boger, Marion, S.C., and Lloyd B. Dunmore,

Poland, Ohio, assignors, by direct and mesne assignments, of one-half to John Donald Marshall and Horace L. Bomar, as trustees under a trust known as The Carolina Patent Development Trust, and one-half to Hynes Steel Products Company, Youngstown, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Apr. 6, 1966, Ser. No. 540,564 2 Claims. (Cl. 139-358) ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A warp stop electrode with a body portion having elongated indentations extending longitudinally upon opposing sides thereof.

This invention pertains to electric warp stop motions for looms and, more particularly, to an improved drop wire guide, or so-called electrode, for such stop motions.

It is a general object yof the invention to provide an improved warp stop motion electrode which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and which requires a minimum amount of :attention and maintenance.

A further object is to provide an improved Warp stop motion electrode having greater stiffness and rigidity as compared to known electrodes of the prior art.

A still further object is that of preventing false loom stopping indications by maintaining true centralization of the blade member Within the body portion of the electrode.

Other objects :and advantages of the invention will become appfrent from the following more detailed disclosure.

Electric Warp stop motions for looms 'are usually provided With a plurality of banks of drop wires which are individual to `and which are supported by the multitude of warp yarns being advanced in fa known manner during loom operation. The drop wires are assembled on guides, which in the case of electrical stop motions are commonly known as electrodes, and upon the breaking of a Warp thread, the drop wire individual thereto is guided in its movement to a position to effect loom stoppage in a manner well known to those conversant with the weaving art. These electrodes are supported at their ends by suitable brackets attached to the loom frames, and extending transversely of the Warp threads they usually include one or two center supports `or so-called bridges. The number of bridges employed depends on the width of the loo-rn and are disposed intermediate the ends of the electrodes.

The conventional form of electrode is fabricated from bar stock and includes a longitudinally extending channel or groove along one edge thereof into which a blade element of substantially equal length is receivable. The blade portion of the electrode within the groove is electrically insulated and is in circuit with the remaining stop motion mechanism. When Ia warp thread breaks, its respective drop Wire drops to a position which places it in contact with both the blade and its support and completes the circuit to stop the loom. Although the conventional form of electrodee has performed its intended function satisfactorily, it has been a diicult task to provide such an electrode with sutficient rigidity and stiffness with a minimum amount of bow relative to the length thereof. Additionally, the groove or channel that must be formed :along one edge of the body portion of the electrode for the blade has been a diicult machining operation insofar as trying to maintain the groove centralized is concerned. Should this groove favor one side or the other, the blade 3 ,358 ,7 l 8 Patented Dec. 19, 1967 when assembled therein will naturally be closer to one side of the body portion than the other. On certain installatio-ns where the warp line is disposed at an angle to the horizontal the plurality of banks of electrodes are set to coincide with said warp line, and an electrode which does not have a perfectly centralized blade is known to be responsible for false indications for loom stoppage. This occurs as a result of the angle at which the electrodes are disposed which permits the inner edges of the slot in a drop wire to make contact with both the blade and sides of the supporting body portion therefor. Each warp thread supports a drop wire rand during loom operation the many moving elements of a loom create a condition whereby the drop wires are constantly moving in a bobbing manner and it can be easily understood how false indications are had under such conditions.

The body portions of the conventional electrodes require periodic attention which is time consuming and 'an undesirable expense. These body portions are made from steel and as a rust prohibitive measure they are treated with -a copper sulphate dip. This treatment has proven to be only a temporary measure for after being subjected to the high humidity of a weave room and the frictional contact with the drop wires for :a period of time, the electrodes must be removed and retreated.

The improved drop wire guide or electrode according to the instant invention has a body portion made of a material such as stainless steel which does not have to be treated to prevent the development of a rusting condition.

The body portions are formed from at stock into generally U-shaped members as seen looking at the ends thereof and the open upper portions provide longitudinally extending, centralized channels into which the blades are adapted to assemble. A flexible insulating material is wrapped about those portions of the blades which assemble within the contines of the longitudinally extending channels such `as that utilized with the conventional electrodes.

The body portions are also provided with integrally formed indentations or depressions centrally disposed along the sides thereof which assist in providing additional stiffness and rigidity for the electrodes. These indentations are elongated and are allochirally disposed :along the sides of the body portions. Each indentation provides a bulbous protrusion within the channels of the body portions which are in horizontal alignment and form a seat for the blades therein.

The invention will hereinafter be described in greater detail by reference to a specific embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying figures of drawing, Where- 1n:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of -a drop wire stop motion showing the electrode according to the invention applied thereto;

FIG. 2 is a View in side elevation of one of the electrodes in FIG. 1 showing by means of solid and dotted lines the allochirally disposed indentations along the sides of the electrodes body portion; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional View as seen looking in the direction of the indicating arrows of line 3-3 in FIG. 2.

Now referring to the figures of drawing, enough of a drop wire stop motion is shown in FIG. l to serve as a basis for a detailed description of the invention applied thereto.

The view in perspective of a portion of a drop wire stop motion as illustrated in FIG. l includes a plurality of electrode members generally indicated by numeral 10 on which a multiplicity of drop wires 11 fare assembled for guidance in their movement and for support by warp threads 12. Each of the warp threads support a drop wire 11 individual thereto and for the purpose of brevity only a small quantity of these warp threads and their respective drop wires have been illustrated.

Each of the electrodes is supported at its ends by common support brackets not shown which are suitably attached to the loom frames and depending upon the width of a loom one or two supporting bridges 13 are positioned to support the electrodes intermediate their ends.

The body portion of the electrode is generally U-shaped and is identified by numeral 14. A plurality of horizontally and centrally disposed indentations 15 are formed and positioned in an allochiral manner along the sides of each of the body portions 14 and tend to provide additional stiffness and rigidity for the electrodes. Several methods may be utilized in forming the electrode; however, the preferred method is that of feeding flat stock into a machine which first forms the indentations 15 and then folds the stock into a U-shaped member. As shown in FIG. 3, each of the indentations 15 forms -an inwardly directed bulbous protrusion 16 Within the contines of each of the body portions 14. These so-called bulbous protrusions 16 being in horizontal alignment provide a seat for a blade member 17 a portion of which is adapted to assemble within the body portion 14 of the electrode. That portion of each blade 17 assembled within its respective body portion 14- is electrically insulated with a strip of flexible material 1S such as Mylar. As shown in FlGS. 1 and. 3 this insulating material is wrapped about the lower portion of each blade 17 with the upper surface thereof being exposed to make contact with a drop wire in the event of warp thread breakage.

In operation, the plurality of electrodes which guide the plurality of banks of drop wires function in a conventional manner to initiate loom stoppage in the event of a broken warp thread; however, the improved electrode which pro vides positive centralization of the blade member therein permits angular settings of this portion of the stop motion without the possibility of false stopping indications due to a drop wire making contact with both the blade and body portion of the electrode while still supported by its respective warp thread. Additionally, the period maintenance of removing the electrodes for rust prohibitive treatment has been eliminated. The electrode itself extends for substantially the width of a loom making it a rather long item and yet by comparison its cross sectional configuration is relatively small making it a rather awkward item .and one which is easily subject to damage if not handled with a great deal of care. The added stiffness and rigidity of the electrode comprising the instant invention have greatly decreased the possibility of damage through lhandling and a bowing condition relative to its length.

While one embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it is to be understood that the inventive concept may be carried out in a number of ways. This invention is, therefore, not to be limited to the precise details described, but is intended to embrace all variations and modications thereof falling within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims.

We claim:

1. In a warp stop motion for looms having electrodes disposed above and extending transversely of the Warp, drop wires on said electrodes and a bridge member for supporting the latter intermediate the ends thereof, said electrodes including a generally U-shaped body portion, a blade member protruding from said body portion and extending longitudinally therewith and for substantially the full length thereof, an insulating element wrapped about that portion of said blade member within said body portion, said body portion having a plurality of elongated indentations disposed generally centrally and extending longitudinally thereof.

2. The structure according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of indentations are allochirally disposed along the sides of said body portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,817,165 8/1931 Payne 139-353 1,873,467 8/1932 Payne 139-353 3,246,091 4/1966 Koch 200-61.l8

FOREIGN PATENTS 760,439 10/ 1956 Great Britain.

MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner.

I. KEE CHI, Assistant Examiner 

1. IN A WARP STOP MOTION FOR LOOMS HAVING ELECTRODES DISPOSED ABOVE AND EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF THE WARP, DROP WIRES ON SAID ELECTRODES AND A BRIDGE MEMBER FOR SUPPORTING THE LATTER INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS THEREOF, SAID ELECTRODES INCLUDING A GENERALLY U-SHAPED BODY PORTION, A BLADE MEMBER PROTRUDING FROM SAID BODY PORTION AND EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY THEREWITH AND FOR SUBSTANTIALLY THE FULL LENGTH THEREOF, AN INSULATING ELEMENT WRAPPED ABOUT THAT PORTION OF SAID BLADE MEMBER WITHIN SAID BODY PORTION, SAID BODY PORTION HAVING A PLURALITY OF ELONGATED INDENTATIONS DISPOSED GENERALLY CENTRALLY AND EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY THEREOF. 